News of the Day

• Intel moves closer to launching its TV service
  Intel is preparing to roll out its virtual cable television service and set-top box on a city-by-city basis, writes Josh Constine. The slow rollout is a tactic for dealing with potential licensing problems, according to a source. One rumored feature would take on the DVR by allowing subscribers to watch any programming aired in the last month, Constine writes. TechCrunch (12/29), The Wall Street Journal (1/2)     

Business & Industry Watch

• FCC sets up new licensing policies for in-flight Internet
  The Federal Communications Commission has adopted updated rules governing in-flight Internet usage and the granting of in-flight Internet licenses to airlines and Internet providers. The rules are expected to make it easier to receive Federal Aviation Administration approval, which is also required. Bloomberg Businessweek (12/28), The Wall Street Journal (12/28)     

• Other News

• Kobie links to Verizon to update loyalty program
  TMCNet.com (12/28)     

• FCC chooses academic Steven Wildman as chief economist
  The Hill/Hillicon Valley blog (12/28)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by USTelecom dailyLead® readers in the past week.

• Predictions: What's ahead for telecom in 2013 (Total Telecom Magazine (U.K.))

• Verizon to pull the plug on pay-to-call 900 numbers in the U.S. (iMedia Connection)

• Alcatel-Lucent CEO: EU regulations harm telecom innovation (CNBC)

• PE firm will pay more than $2B to buy, merge Lightower and Sidera (Bloomberg)

• Google: Gmail phone calls are on us for the next year (VentureBeat)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Video Upload

• Federal judge blocks streaming-TV sites over copyrights
  A federal judge in California has ordered Aereokiller and other online sites owned by Alki David to stop streaming live signals from the four major broadcast networks even though a New York court had earlier cleared another firm -- Barry Diller's Aereo -- to provide a similar service. The Los Angeles judge ruled that Aereokiller had violated copyright regulations, terming its transmission "public performances" in contrast to the New York federal court's opinion that Diller's service offered a private performance similar to Cablevision Systems' network DVR. Multichannel News (12/28), Variety (subscription required) (12/28)     

Technology Trends

• A forecast on health IT
  Software-as-a-service, bring-your-own device policies and telehealth applications are likely to drive health IT innovations and create headaches around data security and patient privacy, Brian Horowitz writes. "The tools available to manage those devices and ensure that they meet compliance and security requirements will become much better in 2013," says Dennis Schmuland of Microsoft. eWeek (12/28)     

IP Download

• Analysis: Important trends for carrier Ethernet in 2013
  The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers will release a standard for 400 gigabits-per-second Ethernet networking in 2013, Craig Matsumoto writes in this analysis. Carrier Ethernet 2.0 certifications are expected next month, and the Metro Ethernet Forum is expected to address Ethernet services on clouds provided by carriers in 2013, he adds. Light Reading (12/31)     

Editor's Note

• The dailyLead will not publish Tuesday
  In observance of New Year's Day, the dailyLead will not publish Tuesday. Publication will resume Wednesday. Enjoy the holiday!     

LeadQuote

New Year's Day is every man's birthday." --Charles Lamb, English essayist